DaVita Adds Flexible Shifts to Support Working Patients in Houston

Working patients often have better clinical outcomes, higher quality of life

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- DaVita®, a division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. (NYS: DVA) and a leading provider of kidney care services, announced new flexible dialysis treatment shifts in Houston designed with working dialysis patients in mind.

Studies have found that when patients continue working after they go on dialysis, it can help them feel healthier, happier and more financially secure. For instance, people on dialysis who keep their jobs generally experience a lower rate of depression, have fewer hospitalizations and score higher on general health and vitality tests.

"Having flexibility in my dialysis treatments gives me the freedom I need to live a happy and healthy lifestyle," says Julie Spreckelmeyer, a DaVita dialysis patient who has a full-time job, enjoys fly fishing, and regularly attends concerts and theater productions. "I was determined, no matter what, that I wouldn't quit my job or leave my job; I would just have to figure out a way to do dialysis when I wasn't working."

In support of helping to keep working patients working, numerous clinics in the Metroplex - notably Houston, Sugar Land, League City, Brenham, Humble, Kingwood and College Station - have flexible evening treatment shifts designed to accommodate working patients. In addition to in-center hemodialysis treatments, DaVita also supports home modalities, such as home hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, which also allow patients to dialyze on a flexible schedule.

"For patients who remain working there are so many advantages - physically, emotionally and financially," said Chakilla Robinson-White, DaVita's vice president of operations for the Houston Metro area. "At DaVita we're doing everything we can to make life a little easier for patients who want to keep working and maintain their quality of life."

For more information about living with kidney disease, visit DaVita.com/WorkingPatients or call 1-888-405-8915. DaVita also offers kidney disease classes that are open to the community in the Houston area.

DaVita and DaVita HealthCare Partners are trademarks or registered trademarks of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

About DaVita

DaVita is the dialysis division of DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc., a Fortune 500® company that, through its operating divisions, provides a variety of health care services to patient populations throughout the United States and abroad. A leading provider of kidney care in the United States, DaVita delivers dialysis services to patients with chronic kidney failure and end stage renal disease. DaVita strives to improve patients' quality of life by innovating clinical care, and by offering integrated treatment plans, personalized care teams and convenient health-management services. As of March 31, 2013, DaVita operated or provided administrative services at 1,991 outpatient dialysis centers located in the United States serving approximately 156,000 patients. The company also operated 41 outpatient dialysis centers located in nine countries outside the United States. DaVita supports numerous programs dedicated to creating positive, sustainable change in communities around the world. The company's leadership development initiatives and social responsibility efforts have been recognized by Fortune, Modern Healthcare, Newsweek and WorldBlu. For more information, please visit DaVita.com.